1. What DO customers expect
   1. a)
      1. If an organization cannot at least meet its customers' expectations it will struggle.
   2. b)
      1. Ideally a business organization should exceed its customers' expectations, thereby maximising the satisfaction of its customers, and also the credibility of its goods and services in the eyes of its customers.
   3. c)
      1. Customers normally become delighted when a supplier under-promises and over-delivers. To over-promise and under-deliver is a recipe for customers to become very dissatisfied.
   4. d) Rule No 1
      1. - You cannot assume that you know what a customer's expectations are ... You must ask.
   5. e) Rule No 2
      1. - Customer expectations will constantly change so they must be determined on an on-going basis.
   6. f)
      1. The expectations of different customers for the same product or service will vary
         1. according to:
            1. · social and demographic factors
            2. · economic situation
            3. · educational standards
            4. ·competitor products
            5. · experience
   7. g)
      1. Therefore, given all these variable factors, it is no surprise that one size certainly does not fit all. Ask your customers what is important to them. Find out why your customers do business with you. There are a wide variety of reasons why they do. For example:
         1. · quality
         2. · price
         3. · product
         4. · location
         5. · customer service
   8. h)
      1. When you ask, you might discover some factors that you'd perhaps never even considered, for example: Customers are also an exceptional source of information - information which is vital to enable a business to succeed; ie., giving customers what they want. Managing customers entails:
         1. · knowing what customers want and need - which enables you to focus your production and service efforts
         2. · knowing which products or customers have most growth potential - which enables you to focus on developing highest potential - what your customers like best
         3. · knowing which products or customers are most or least profitable - which enables you to focus on maximising profit
         4. · knowing which customers will be advocates and supporters - which enables you to provide references, case studies, and to safely test new products and services
   9. i)
      1. Achieving effective Customer Relationship Management requires many organizations to adopt a new perspective. Consider the following:
         1. · traditional customer service is something you 'do to' the customer
         2. · modern Customer Relationship Management is 'done with' the customer
         3. · Your relationships with customers should be ongoing, cooperative, and built for the long term.
         4. · The cost of keeping existing customers is a tiny fraction of the cost of acquiring new customers.
         5. · Highly satisfied customers who see a high value in your products and services, commonly make excellent supporters of your organisation - look after these customers and give them special treatment.
         6. · Dissatisfied customers who see a low value in your products and services, are potential saboteurs. These customers could have little or no loyalty and may actively 'engage' against your organization. Therefore you should seek to rebuild relationships and trust, and a new basis for a future relationship, or manage the separation with dignity, professionalism and integrity.
   10. j)
       1. The following characteristics are associated with delivery of excellent Customer Relations Management:
          1. · reliability
          2. · responsiveness
          3. · accessibility
          4. · safety
          5. · courtesy
          6. · consideration
          7. · communication
          8. · recognising the customer
          9. · competence
          10. Spare
2. TEN TOP TIPS
   1. If you want to be able to stand out from the crowd and offer truly great customer service instead of just empty promises, here are ten great tips that will help.
      1. 1
         1. There are two ways to fix every problem. The immediate solution is to take care of the customer, leave him or her happy, and go on with your day.
      2. 2
         1. However, there's a reason this problem happened. You need to consider how to prevent it from happening again. Your business will be more efficient and you'll have happier customers overall.
      3. 3
         1. Treat your customers like human beings. That means treating them with dignity and not being annoyed at them for interrupting your day. This also means expecting them to act like responsible adults. Too many businesses believe that good customer service means bowing to the whims of every customer with a complaint. That solves the immediate problem of an angry customer, but sometimes it's not for the best. Know when there's a real problem that needs fixing and fix it well, but don't let people walk all over you.
      4. 4
         1. Go beyond the minimum to make your customers love you. If there's a real problem, and you can do just a little more to make a customer's day, he or she is going to remember it. You'll get a lot more repeat business and word of mouth advertising if you over deliver.
      5. 5
         1. Don't make excuses. If it's your fault, say so. Don't try to blame it on the customer, the circumstances, another vendor, or the position of the moon in the sky. It's amazing what a difference it can make if you just say "An error has been made, but I will make it right". Your customer will see you a lot differently if you don't make excuses.
      6. 6
         1. Don't take it personally! This one's easy to forget because the customer is directing their frustration at you. However, the customer is angry about the situation, not angry at you, specifically. Taking things personally just introduces anger into the situation and makes it harder to fix the problem.
      7. 7
         1. Listen to your customers. Don't assume you know what they want. They may have some good things to say, even if they're not experts. Think about what you're promising. It's easy to get carried away and offer more than you can easily deliver. If your business is racing from one project to the next, you can't offer true quality of service. Don't let this happen. Always pay close attention to what you're promising, and don't let a customer talk you into the impossible.
      8. 8
         1. Allow the customer to feel like a priority. Don't answer the phone while filling out a spreadsheet - you'll sound distracted. Spend the few minutes it takes to really pay attention. Your customers will know the difference and the results will be worth it.
      9. 9
         1. Get to problems right away. No one wants to deal with something unpleasant, but if you let a complaint sit, it's not going to get any better on its own. Follow up! Call after a problem's been dealt with, or after a customer has received a particularly big order, to find out how things went. Don't try to sell anything during this call or email. Just find out what you need to know and wish your customer a good day..
      10. 10
          1. Smile, not just when you are in front of the customer, smile on the phone, customers can hear a smile down the telephone